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STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — Intuitive psychologist, relationship counselor, and author, Dr. Carmen Harra, visited the KCAL9 studios Monday to share tips on how to stay focused during a crisis.

How to Stay Focused During a Crisis

In the wake of a crisis such as a natural disaster or death in the family, we find our minds reeling with unease. Yet this is perhaps the most crucial time to employ logic towards the resolution of our problem. So what can we do to ensure that we remain calm, collected, and focused during a distressing time? Here are a few tips:

· Return to your faith: Crises return us to our faith. It doesn’t matter what religion we are because when we experience a difficult time, we suddenly begin to believe in it once more. We automatically begin to pray and ask the Divine for help. Make your crisis the motivation for you to regain faith in a higher force which can come to your aid.

· Think outside of your situation: How would you advise someone going through your same situation? We often find it difficult to guide ourselves properly because our own emotions are evolved. But when we remove ourselves just a bit, and momentarily step outside the box, we can see the full prospect of our dilemma as well as the easiest way out.

· See beyond the moment: Understand that this dire moment is only temporary. Envision the ultimate resolution to your crisis and know that this negative event has happened for a reason. The more you are able to think in terms of the future, the quicker your problems will pass in the present.

· Re-strategize immediately: When something bad has happened, we need to employ a strategy right away. Don’t sit as the bystander in your own life crisis; always act as you see fit. When you act, you can regain control of your own life and redirect yourself out of a negative situation.

· Spread hope to others: No matter what you’re going through, no matter what the world is going through, there is a little thing called hope. And hope is what can get you through anything. Whenever you’re feeling hopeless, I want you to do this: find one person you love (your partner, family member, or friend), and embrace them as tightly as you can. Find hope in them, and realize that you must keep your own sense of hope strong for them, too. We can easily replenish each other’s hope in tomorrow by a simple hug. When we spread hope to others, we indirectly fill our hearts with hope.

· Grow and evolve: Every experience in life, whether good or bad, is a learning opportunity. When we acknowledge that everything happens to us for a greater reason and also for our ultimate good, we can meet our challenges head on and conquer them more easily than we imagine. Learn from your mistakes and grow with your tests; this will resolve your karma so that you won’t have to repeat any life challenge twice. Remember that blessings first come disguised as tragedies.